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1
Cut or grind the suet into small pieces.
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2
You can either have your butcher grind it for you, or cut it into small pieces with a sharp knife.
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3
If you decide to use a food processor, use the knife-blade attachment, and be sure not to overload your food processor -- it will just make mess!
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4
Put your cut up suet into a pot with enough room to allow for expansion as the suet heats up.
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5
The suet should not fill more than half the pot.
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6
Add 2-4 inces of water.
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7
Add the salt.
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8
The salt will help separate impurities from the mixture.
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9
Set the pot of suet, salt and water over medium heat, and stir gently as it heats up.
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10
Allow the mixture to come to a slow boil, watching constantly.
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11
(If this were to boil over, you could have a fire!)
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12
The goal is to liquify as much of the suet as possible.
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13
This melting process may take at least 30 minutes for 2-3 pounds of suet.
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14
If the water begins to boil away, add a little more, but be careful to avoid 'sputtering'.
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15
When most of the suet is dissolved, remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly and ladle the mixture through a sieve into a mold.
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16
(I use a large rectangular plastic storange container).
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17
Throw away the solids that remain in your sieve, or mix with some peanut butter and set this out for the birds.
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18
Place the container with the melted suet into your refrigerator overnight.
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19
As the mixture cools, the tallow will rise to the surface and solidify.
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20
Remove the mold from the fridge, and turn it upside down over your sink.
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21
Let any liquid drain away.
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22
Scrape off any gelatinous gunk off the bottom of the block of tallow and discard it.
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23
Your remaining tallow will be hard, firm, and either white or off-white.
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24
Scrape away any remaining debris.
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25
Refrigerate or freeze the tallow until ready to be used.
